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Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making
Published on: March 2, 2011
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Contextual modulation of androgen effects on agonistic interactions
D S Pradhan1, K R Connor1, E M Pritchett1
1Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
Hormones and Behavior
|December 10, 2013
Summary
In Lythrypnus dalli fish, 11-ketotestosterone (KT) implants rapidly altered agonistic behavior and induced male morphology. However, social context ultimately mediated hormone-behavior relationships, with aggression unaffected long-term despite elevated KT.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Fish Biology
Background:
- Steroid hormones significantly influence social behavior, modulated by environmental context.
- In Lythrypnus dalli, male removal triggers social instability and elevates 11-ketotestosterone (KT).
- Previous studies suggest systemically administered steroids may not effectively reach target tissues like the brain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the extent to which exogenous steroids impact tissue steroid levels.
- To investigate if a permissive social environment influences KT effects on agonistic behavior during sex change.
Main Methods:
- Cholesterol (control) or KT implants were administered to dominant (alpha) Lythrypnus dalli undergoing sex change.
- Behavioral assays and tissue steroid load analysis were conducted.
- Effects on agonistic behavior and genital papillae development were assessed.
Main Results:
- KT implants caused rapid, transient increases in agonistic behavior in alphas and secondary effects in betas.
- KT-treated females exhibited male-typical genital papillae by day 3 and 5.
- Despite elevated brain and systemic KT, overall aggressive behavior rates remained unaffected by day 5.
Conclusions:
- Exogenous steroid administration affects tissue steroid loads, but social context is crucial for mediating hormone-behavior dynamics.
- While KT can induce rapid morphological changes and transient behavioral shifts, long-term social behavior is not solely determined by hormone levels.
- These findings underscore the intricate interplay between social environment and hormonal influences on behavior and sex change.
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